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Filipino Food Vlogger Dies After Eating Suspected 'Devil Crab' on Camera

Local officials warn that the reef species carries heat-stable neurotoxins.

Overview

  • Emma Amit, 51, filmed herself on Feb. 4 foraging in mangroves near Puerto Princesa, cooking seafood in coconut milk and tasting the catch.
  • She developed severe symptoms the next day, was rushed from a local clinic to a hospital, and died on Feb. 6, according to ABS-CBN and village officials.
  • Investigators said they found brightly colored shells in her trash believed to be Zosimus aeneus, the toxic reef crab known locally as the devil crab.
  • Experts say the species contains saxitoxin and tetrodotoxin that are not destroyed by cooking and can cause rapid paralysis and death.
  • Barangay leaders issued public cautions and said her meal companions are being monitored, noting previous regional fatalities linked to the same crab.